Betsy DeVos names CEO of for-profit student loan lender to head the federal financial aid program

Betsy DeVos and children at White House.
(Image credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday named A. Wayne Johnson to run the federal student loan system, praising his "30 years of experience" while failing to mention he is acting as the CEO of a for-profit lender, Reunion Student Loan Services, BuzzFeed News reports.

Instead, DeVos praised Johnson for having written "the book on student loan debt" and claimed he "will bring a unique combination of CEO-level operating skills and an in-depth understanding of the needs and issues associated with student loan borrowers and their families."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.